1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to small tractor type riding mowers and particularly to those adapted for mowing over hilly, uneven, and rough terrain.
2. Background Art
The most common small, four-wheel, riding, tractor type mower provides a unitary frame beneath which the gasoline engine driven mower blade assembly is suspended. Typically, the rear wheels only are driven and the mower deck and front axle may pivot relative to the unitary frame to accommodate to changing terrain. Since the frame is a unitary structure, one portion of the frame is not able to pivot relative to another portion.
In traveling over rough or uneven terrain, it thus would be desirable for all four wheels to be continuously driven, for the rear wheels to be able to pivot around an axis that is generally parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the rear wheel axis, and for the frame to be made up of front and rear sections capable of pivoting relative to each other about a vertical axis so as to better accommodate to the rough or uneven terrain, to slippery ground, and to the need for making relatively tight turns when mowing around shrubbery, trees and the like.
The provision of a riding, tractor type mower having the aforesaid features is the primary object of the present invention. Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.